If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will be required to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Ice in Main?

Back today, some water passing, run out to 70',
no go with the t111, try a root saw, no go past 70'.
Bring back nothing.

Run the reverse auger and break through.
Run the t111 and get through.
Still nothing on.

Ice? (it's Really been cold up here)

Last night get a call, can you run over 100'? Sure, no problem.
They had another company out with only a 100' drum,
run the main out with everything I have, 180'. Hit nothing.
Call city. They map it this morning, main is 250' to city sewer.

Start looking around and see the problem, some older houses here have whole
house back flow gate type valves in the basement under a trap door.
I found it.
It was plugged.

Comment

I had a Mann's theater once where I used 600' to clear the line. I had to take 200' off of three separate trucks to do it though.They would not pay for a locate or extra cleanouts so I told them next time, good luck. The machine could not handle the weight of the cable and when I hit what was a soft stoppage, I had to turn the drum by hand to clear it.

Comment

I had a Mann's theater once where I used 600' to clear the line. I had to take 200' off of three separate trucks to do it though.They would not pay for a locate or extra cleanouts so I told them next time, good luck. The machine could not handle the weight of the cable and when I hit what was a soft stoppage, I had to turn the drum by hand to clear it.

Mark

600ft?? Wow,,, I have 150 my guys got 150, I'd have to call in 2 more gorlits g68 (which usually have 150). If I ran out 150 the customer would have to agree to pay for another cage, regardless of success, then it's another clean out.
I just had a plumber call me to jett a furniture warehouse, but we had to restore flow and it took our two cages about 265 b4 it cleared. That must have been a real slow push after 200 250 ft.

600ft?? Wow,,, I have 150 my guys got 150, I'd have to call in 2 more gorlits g68 (which usually have 150). If I ran out 150 the customer would have to agree to pay for another cage, regardless of success, then it's another clean out.
I just had a plumber call me to jett a furniture warehouse, but we had to restore flow and it took our two cages about 265 b4 it cleared. That must have been a real slow push after 200 250 ft.

Yeah the machines were only rated at 180' but I always ordered them with 2-100" cables and baskets. The call came in at 11:00 PM but I called out a second truck at about 1:00 AM and a third truck about an hour later. This was a 6-plex that was remodeled into a 10-plex and no one knew where the sewer ended up. This was pre-sewer cameras so I had to energizes the cable and use a Goldak PB-44 once I hit the clay. If it had been a hard stoppage we would have never cleared it. At the time I didn't know it but Mann's was selling off everything except for the Mann's Grauman's Chinese Theater so they didn't want to spend any money on it. We never had another main line stoppage and today the building is a church. What was great is we had both the Mann's account and the Edward's account and the both allowed all of my guys and their families free admission.

Comment

I had a Mann's theater once where I used 600' to clear the line. I had to take 200' off of three separate trucks to do it though.They would not pay for a locate or extra cleanouts so I told them next time, good luck. The machine could not handle the weight of the cable and when I hit what was a soft stoppage, I had to turn the drum by hand to clear it.

Mark

Mark that must be a record. How much did you lose after your machine was thrashed on this job.

Mark that must be a record. How much did you lose after your machine was thrashed on this job.

Not a cent, and 30-years later those machines are still running strong. They are a weird machine which are super primitive but super simple and easy to maintain. I got my first one when I bought someone else out and kind of laughed at it. I kept it on the truck that came with it but soon bought several more. They are Quadra-Plex machines made by Terry Williams, the grandson of the original Williams Snake. His real business is welding and plating expensive medical equipment. Everything he knows he learned from his grandfather so in his memory, he builds these on the side. He is local and he will custom build or plate any machine you want. In addition, he manufactures all of his own cable. With the exception of electrical stuff and bearings, he manufactures and stocks every part so repairs are simple.